• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.269-285
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• 2022

The interaction between ocean and ice shelf is a critical physical process in relation to water mass transformations and ice shelf melting/freezing at the ocean-ice interface. However, it remains challenging to thoroughly understand the process due to a lack of observational data with respect to ice shelf cavities. This is the first study to simulate the variability and circulation of water mass both overlying the continental shelf and underneath an ice shelf and an ice tongue in the Terra Nova Bay (TNB), East Antarctica. To explore the properties of water mass and circulation patterns in the TNB and the corresponding effects on sub ice shelf basal melting, we explicitly incorporate the dynamic-thermodynamic processes acting on the ice shelf in the Regional Ocean Modeling System. The simulated water mass formation and circulation in the TNB region agree well with previous studies. The model results show that the TNB circulation is dominated by the geostrophic currents driven by lateral density gradients induced by the releasing of brine or freshwater at the polynya of the TNB. Meanwhile, the circulation dynamics in the cavity under the Nansen Ice shelf (NIS) are different from those in the TNB. The gravity-driven bottom current induced by High Salinity Shelf Water (HSSW) formed at the TNB polynya flows towards the grounding line, and the buoyance-driven flow associated with glacial meltwater generated by the HSSW emerges from the cavity along the ice base. Both current systems compose the thermohaline overturning circulation in the NIS cavity. This study estimates the NIS basal melting rate to be 0.98 m/a, which is comparable to the previously observed melt rate. However, the melting rate shows a significant variation in space and time.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.457-473
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• 1992

The first order wave equation over a double shelf has wind stresses on both coastal boundaries and wind stress curl forcing across the shelf. In the Yellow Sea, the effect of wind stress curl can be neglected as a forcing of shelf waves. The decay distance of Kelvin waves is much greater than that of continental shelf waves so that Kelvin waves are transmitted nearly intact through the northern embayment. The numerical method of characteristics has been modified to accomodate wave propagation of opposite directions. Using a little more realistic coastline, the wave model hindcast has been improved for current velocity, but hardly for sea level. It means that Kelvin waves, which mainly determine sea levels, are affected little by the change of bottom slope. For a better hindcast of sea level, input energy of Kelvin waves transmitted from the East China Sea is needed. The basic structure of downwind flows along the coasts and upwind flows along the trough supports the seasonal circulations driven by monsoon winds in the Yellow Sea.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2004

Sedimentary facies and high-resolution echo facies were analyzed to elucidate sedimentation pattern of the late Quaternary glacial-marine deposits in the northern continental margin of the South Shetland Islands. Six sedimentary facies are classified, based on grain texture and sedimentary structures in gravity cores. The high-resolution (3.5 ㎑) echo characters are classified into 6 echo facies on the basis of clarity, continuity, and shape of bottom and subbottom echoes together with seafloor topography. Distribution of the echo and sedimentary facies suggest that there was a significant change in sedimentation pattern between the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and subsequent glacier-retreating period. When the grounded glaciers extended to the present shelfbreak during LGM, coarse-grained subglacial tills were widespread in the shelf area, and deep troughs in the shelf were carved beneath the fast-flowing ice steam. As the glacial margin retreated landward after LGM, dense meltwater plumes released from the retreating ice-front were funneled along the glacier-carved troughs, and accumulated channel- or cannyon-fill deposits in the shelf and the upper to mid slope. At that time, slope sediments seem to have been reworked by slope failures and unsteady contour currents, and further transported by fine-grained turbidity currents along the South Shetland Trench. After the glacial retreat, sediments in the shelf and slope areas have been mainly introduced by persistent (hemi) pelagic settling, and fine-grained turbidity currents frequently occur along the axis of the South Shetland Trench.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.303-312
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• 2011

Analysis of high-resolution seismic profiles from the southeastern continental shelf of Korea reveals that the Holocene transgressive deposits consist of five sedimentary units characterized by retrograding or backstepping depositional arrangements. Unit I, forming a linear sediment body along the shelf margin, is an ancient beach/shoreface deposit formed during the early stage of transgression. During the transgression, the paleo-channels were backfilled with fluvial or coastal-plain sediments, forming Unit II as an incised-channel fill deposit. The near-surface sediment was reworked and eroded by shoreface erosion, forming a thin lag of sands (Unit III) on the midshelf. During the middle stage of the transgression, the shoreline may have stabilized at around 70 - 80 m below the present sea level for some period of time to allow the formation of sand ridge systems (Unit IV). Unit V in the inner shelf was deposited in an estuarine environment during the middle to late stage of transgression. Such transgressive stratigraphic architecture is controlled by a function of lateral changes in the balance among rates of relative sea-level rise, sediment input and marine processes at any given time.

• Journal of Korean Society of Coastal and Ocean Engineers
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.268-276
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• 2008

Potential tsunamis generated in Okinawa Trough were simulated for the investigation of the propagation characteristics in the southwestern sea of Korean Peninsula. Shallow waters in the continental shelf of East China Sea and deep waters in Okinawa Trough play an important role in the propagation characteristics of the tsunamis generated in this region. The propagation characteristics can be classified into two phases according to the stage of propagation. In the first phase, the tsunamis propagate both northeast and southwest along the deep water of the trough. In the second phase, the tsunamis enter the continental shelf of the East China Sea at right angles to topographic contour lines. Simulated results show that the tsunamis generated in the Okinawa Trough give a weak influence to the southern and western coasts of Korea due to the special topography of the southwestern sea of Korean Peninsula.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.59-69
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• 2014

The long-term mooring performed at a KOGA station, located at about $30^{\circ}20^{\prime}N$, $126^{\circ}12^{\prime}E$ in the East China Sea shelf, shows some different behaviors between "semi-diurnal" and "diurnal currents" defined as the currents with periods around, respectively, a half day and a day. They appear to be predominantly tidal having significant coherences with sea level changes around the semi-diurnal and diurnal frequencies. The "semi-diurnal current" is strongly barotropic all year round. However, contrastingly, it is largely baroclinic in summer in the area about 70 km nearer to the continental slope, referred to as the "slope-area", as was found in previous current observations. The "diurnal current" of tidal origin is strongly barotropic in winter. In spring and summer, however, it becomes more baroclinic although it still remains largely barotropic, also showing more of its barotropic nature than in the "slope-area". The inertial oscillation contributing to the "diurnal current" appears to be more prominent when the current is baroclinic, indicating the important role played by stratification in generation of inertial oscillations. Downward energy propagation of inertial oscillation is not observed, suggesting that it is not created at the surface by wind. Considering that the study area is both near a critical latitude and proximity to the continental slope, it is suggested that parametric subharmonic instability (PSI) plays a significant role in creating the baroclinic inertial oscillation.

• Strategy21
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• s.43
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• pp.175-199
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• 2018

Recent marine territorial disputes in the East China Sea and the South China Sea have come to us as a great threat. China, which has recently established the China Coast Guard and has rapidly developed maritime security forces, is trying to overcome the various conflict countries with its power. Japan is also strengthening intensively its maritime security forces. Since Korea, China, and Japan are geographically neighboring and sharing maritime space in Northeast Asia, there is no conflict between maritime jurisdiction and territorial rights among the countries. The struggle for initiative in the ocean is fierce among the three coastal nations in Northeast Asia. therefore, Korea needs more thorough preparation and response to protect the marine sovereignty. As the superpowers of China and Japan are confronted and the United States is involved in the balance of power in strategic purposes, the East Asian sea area is a place where tension and conflict environment exist. China's illegal fishing boats are constantly invading our waters, and they even threaten the lives of our police officers. The issue of delimiting maritime boundaries between Korea and China has yet to be solved, and is underway in both countries, and there is a possibility that the exploration activities of the continental shelf resources may collide as the agreement on the continental shelf will expire between Korea and Japan. On the other hand, conflicts in the maritime jurisdictions of the three countries in Korea, China and Japan are leading to the enhancement of maritime security forces to secure deterrence rather than military confrontation. In the situation where the unresolved sovereignty and jurisdiction conflicts of Korea, China and Japan continue, and the competition for the strengthening of the maritime powers of China and Japan becomes fierce, there is a urgent need for stabilization and enhancement of the maritime forces in our country. It is necessary to establish a new long-term strategy for enhancing the maritime security force and to carry out it. It is expected that the Korean Coast Guard, which once said that it was a model for the establishment of China's Coast Guard as a powerful force for the enforcement of the maritime law, firmly establishes itself as a key force to protect our oceans with the Navy and keeps our maritime sovereignty firmly.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.281-291
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• 1993

A time-dependent primitive two0dimensional calculation is conducted to investigate the variations of Vol. transport onto the Yellow Sea and the Korea Strait with real bathymetries and to tract the Lagrangian movement of water particles. A series of experiment of the barotropic Kuroshio intrusions shows that the eddy induced branching of Kuroshio has sufficient intensity as to modify the continental shelf circulation. This intrusion seems to be one of the important forcing terms such as winds. tides and buoyancy that can also affect the dynamics in the region of the continental shelf. Transport variations across the shelfbreak due to the branching of Kuroshio which come particularly from the southwest of the Kyushu Island, have a strong relationship with the transport variations across the Korea Strait and in the southern area of the Yellow sea. The particle trajectories of the model results are well agreed with the trajectories of satellite tracking drifters obtained by one of the WOCE/TOGA program except the longer travel time period in the present model.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.239-247
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• 1994

Bedform morphology of the giant ripples have been studied on the continental shelf of the Yellow Sea, East China sea and Korea-Tsushima Strait on the basis of side-scan sonar image, sub-bottom profile, sedimentary facies, geomorphology evidence and hydrology. There are well developed giant ripples ranging from 100 to 500 m in wavelengths and from 2 to 10 m in wave height at nine sites in the study area, which are covered by medium to fine sand. Most of them have been formed under the present hydrologic regime where the tidal currents and local currents or turbulence flows are superimposed. In the study area, giant ripples are produced on two different environments. One is at the geomorphic narrow zone such as the Korea Strait where currents are accelerated by the topographic effects, while the other is the sandy flat plain where tidal currents and local currents are harmonized.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.541-550
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• 2005

Molluscan shells were sampled from the continental shelf of South Sea: 19 stations in the southeast continental shelf and 5 in the southwest sea, in order to understand characteristics of sea level changes and time-averaging since the last glacial age. Radiocarbon dates were made on 42 dominant and specific species which were sampled from 24 stations. Time-averaging was observed and showed to be 11,939 years in age difference. The sea-level ranged from 150 to 160 m below sea level during the LGM (about 15,000 yrs B.P). The sea-level significantly rose to 60 m at around 9,000 yrs B.P. and became stable at 50 to 60 m between periods between 4,000 and 5,000 yrs B.P. Between 3,000 and 4,000 yrs B.P, the sea-level rapidly rose to a depth of $10\~20m$ below today’s present sea level.